Mapper: map01/12/21 Chaotic Synthesizer Prototype Demonstration

video upload by Ryan Gaston

"A demonstration of map01/12/21, an electronic musical instrument that focuses on random, chaotic, and gestural interconnections between its constituent structures. map01/12/21 has been succeeded by map02/21, which offers nearly identical functionality; this video serves as an archival demonstration of the older prototype.

map01/12/21 combines three modules: the map01 Delta Scan Mapping Interface (a chaotic audio generator), the map12 Windowed Temporal Drag Processor (a dynamically re-writable audio buffer), and map21 Multiple Vector Source + Translation Matrix (a MIDI controller that combines two joysticks, sixteen random number generators, a timing generator, and a data routing matrix). map01 and map12 have been abandoned in favor of the newer map02 Delta Scan Mapping Interface + Windowed Temporal Drag Processor, which combines their functionality into a single device.

This improvisational demonstration highlights many of the unique possibilities of each of its constituent parts; ranging from blasts of noise to whistling tones, stuttered repeats, aliasing, goofy computer-generated bleeps, and gesturally-controlled chaos."

Additional demos:

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Continual Transition - a Memory Machine [Sound/Noise Demonstration]

video upload by Ryan Gaston

"Continual Transition is an electronic sound-making device designed to engage memory, inspired by the unique otherworldly dread of isolation in the Ozarks.

Continual Transition uses a simple synthesis structure, modulated delay lines, sampling, and multiple internal feedback/feedforward nodes to create a chaotic, constantly evolving musical structure. Despite its use of relatively simple synthesis "building blocks," its embrace of chaos and its perhaps-peculiar parameterization makes it such that individual controls often results in individual knobs affecting many aspects of a sound's character, usually in nonlinear or unpredictable ways.

Continual Transition is comprised of two primary sections: on the left, a Temporal Reflection Interval Processor (TRIP), and on the right, an Arbitrarily Traversal Memory Register (ATMR). The TRIP and ATMR are intertwined via multiple intermodulation nodes, allowing them to influence one another's behavior in a number of ways. The TRIP is a continually-degrading memory process, in which user actions are echoed, multiplied, and obfuscated continually as time progresses. The ATMR is a sampling device, which assesses the device's total state for concentrated periods of time, locking small windows of "memory" into a buffer which can be bent, twisted, folded, and traversed linearly or chaotically.

By allowing these two forms of memory to commingle—and by gradually learning the relationship between individual controls, the immediate sound, and the way that sounds progress into the future—the user may develop a peculiar sense of "presentness," in which the events of the past and immediate future gain greater clarity and present actions take on greater-than-typical weight.

Continual Transition was created with a Bela Mini, Pure Data, simple custom circuitry, and Arkansan cedar sourced directly from the forests of the Ozarks. A limited number of Continual Transition devices were created in 2020. Despite initial goals to the contrary, there is no current plan to develop it into a commercial product.

If you want to learn more about Continual Transition (and to hear more examples of how it can sound), see the Summer 2019 edition of SciARC's Offramp online magazine here: https://offramp.sciarc.edu/articles/c..."

Stereo Transfer Function Synthesizer - Proof of Concept (Teensy)

video upload by Ryan Gaston

"A simple demonstration of some of the sounds yielded from a simple Teensy-based synthesizer. This is a proof of concept more than anything else; ultimately, this will be integrated into a more complete instrument.

The internal signal path is based on a combination of phase modulation, frequency modulation, and digital waveshaping via arbitrarily constructed transfer functions. Three oscillators intertwine in various ways, each contributing to the sound's instantaneous timbre, pitch, loudness, and sense of spatial location. The use of many internal feedback/feedforward nodes enhances the potential for chaotic, unpredictable sonic structures.

Originally, the idea was to create a stereo oscillator with transfer function-based waveshaping; however, I found that with a sufficiently knotted internal signal flow, it was possible to achieve a pretty astonishing range of animated sounds using relatively limited means. Though very much inspired by the Hordijk Blippoo Box, Hordijk Benjolin, Serge Wave Multipliers, Buchla Touché, Buchla 400, Buchla 700, and Buchla 259e, and some experimental works by Larry Polansky, I'm finding that there's much more sonic territory to be explored utilizing the bizarre combination of feedback and waveshaping via arbitrary transfer functions.

Again, I hope to continue to expand this into a more complete, performable instrument. But for now, enjoy some noise."

Buchla Thunder + ASM Hydrasynth | Noise Improvisation

video upload by Ryan Gaston

"I recently took delivery of a vintage Buchla Thunder—a MIDI controller I've been dorking out over for years. In this video, I'm exploring a tiny bit of what it can do when combined with an ASM Hydrasynth desktop module...in the form of a mostly noisy/textural improvisation. (Note—the laptop is there purely for the sake of recording. All sounds and effects are coming from the Hydrasynth.)

Released in ~1990, Thunder is bonkers. Like many of Buchla's prior instruments, it uses touch-sensitive plates as a way of interacting with electronic sound engines. There's no "default" setup...you have to program everything that it does from scratch. It can translate touch directly into MIDI notes, or your touches can be used to initiate/conditionally influence programmed strings of events. Keys can even be used to conditionally modify one another's behavior—it's very deep, and things can become complex quite quickly. That's much of its charm: it's very easy for simple interactions to unwind into complex, unexpected flurries of sound.

So it's quite powerful...but given that I've had it for only a short time, I'm still barely scratching the surface. That said, it's already proving to be super inspiring to play, and I'm excited to keep digging in from here."

The legend of BRENSO’s pulse-width modulation

video upload by Frap Tools

"PWM is a huge part of everyday electronics, but it is also a classic synth sound, to the point it reached a cult (if not meme) status.

A Eurorack oscillator like BRENSO wouldn't have been completed without a PWM section, and today we're exploring it in detail. It might not be the most obvious feature, since it is nestled into the timbre modulation section, but it is capable of wild timbers.

Check also this PWM patch: [video below]

Timbre and Amplitude modulation:
BRENSO Waveforms: [posted here]
Overtones: [video below]

00:00 Overview
02:36 What is a comparator and why it's important for pulse-width modulation?
03:36 The difference between BRENSO's square waves.
04:37 Modulating the comparator threshold to change the pulse width.
05:04 What are the harmonics of a pulse wave?
06:09 How to fake more oscillators through PWM.
07:15 Pulse wave symmetry and phase.
09:51 Feeding BRENSO's comparator with the triangle shaper

Pulse-Width Modulation and Sync with BRENSO | East Coast Sounds 1 | Frap Ideas

video upload by Frap Tools

"A recent article on @PerfectCircuit’s blog inspired this exploration beyond the label of "West Coast" synthesis. We thus focused on two techniques for the BRENSO oscillator that go beyond the classic complex oscillator's palette: PWM and sync."

Ryan Gaston’s articles:
Pt.1 https://www.perfectcircuit.com/signal...
Pt.2 https://www.perfectcircuit.com/signal...

00:00 Introduction: East Coast and West Coast?
02:20 Pulse-width modulation (PWM) on the BRENSO
13:29 The "AAAAAH" moment
14:05 Flip Sync


What are overtones and why they might be more important than you imagine

video upload by Frap Tools

"Today's topic ties together notes, harmony, tuning, timbre, and even more. It's the overtones, and this is our introduction!"

00:00 Introduction
00:22 What is a note?
02:11 What are overtones?
04:06 Harmonic and inharmonic overtones
06:24 Electronic waveforms and overtones: triangle, square, sawtooth
09:42 Isolate waveform partials through CUNSA bandpass filters
12:56 Create a complex wave through harmonics in analog
15:04 From the harmonic series to the dominant chord: closing remarks

Seventy Two | Gradient Instruments Sputter | Happy Birthday Todd Barton!

video upload by Todd Barton

"Woohoo! I'm turning 72 today. I actually love getting older: richer in friends, family, musics and listenings . . ."


video upload by Todd Barton

"Awesome new instrument from the infinitely creative & curious minds of Ryan Gaston and Sarah Belle Reid! Loving this instrument.
More info at https://www.gradientinstruments.com
Also checkout Sarah's Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/sarahbellereid"

Living Room Concerts: Buchla Modular System Duo | Sarah Belle Reid and Ryan Gaston

video by Sarah Belle Reid

"The second video in a series of informal living room concerts, put on by Sarah Belle Reid and Ryan Gaston. In this concert we are improvising on two Buchla systems: a 200-series clone modular synthesizer, and a mixed system featuring a 208 clone and 223e Tactile Input Port."

Meet And maX Virtual Meetup - Modular Synthesizer Graphical Programming Discussion Livestream

Published on Apr 21, 2020 Perfect Circuit

"Join our first ever virtual Meet And maX—a community gathering dedicated to Cycling 74 Max, a powerful graphic programming environment that works with a variety of media, from sound to video, to 3D graphics, to physical computing, and more.

Max lets you connect anything to anything, and we put together Meet and maX to connect all of you. In our inaugural livestream we will host a pretty diverse group of Max folks, including Darwin Grosse and Dan Derks from Cycling 74, independent developer and artist Dillon Bastan, MIDI whiz and current meetup host Aaron Levitz, as well as Perfect Circuit maxers Ryan Gaston, and Eldar Tagi.

We will be talking about building plugins in max for live, using Max for interactive livestreams, hardware integration, and a bunch of other things. Tune in to the stream and bring questions."

MIGSI: Connecting Acoustic Instruments, Modular Synths & MAX

Published on Feb 13, 2020 Perfect Circuit

"Sarah Belle Reid and Ryan Gaston are at Perfect Circuit to present MIGSI, their system for electronically augmenting the acoustic trumpet. They discuss MIGSI's development, as well as tactics for using acoustic instruments to control Max/MSP and modular synthesizers for experimental music. Sarah Belle Reid presents a short performance with MIGSI, Max, and a Buchla modular system.

Read more about MIGSI here: https://www.perfectcircuit.com/signal..."

MIGSI: Connecting Acoustic Instruments, Modular Synths & Max Event at Perfect Circuit

RSVP here


"Sarah Belle Reid and Ryan Gaston will give a short performance with their MIGSI augmented trumpet instrument and then explain its design

About this Event
Sarah Belle Reid and Ryan Gaston present MIGSI: an electronically augmented trumpet designed for performing experimental electronic music. Reid and Gaston will discuss the process of developing MIGSI, as well as strategies for integrating traditional instruments with computers and modular synths—including a demonstration of their own Max/MSP and Buchla-based performance setup. Reid will present a performance using MIGSI, Max/MSP, and a Buchla modular synthesizer.

Wednesday 2/12/2020 7-9PM at the Perfect Circuit Event Space (next door to the showroom)"

Text-to-MIDI Modular Synth Sequencer

Published on Dec 30, 2019 Sarah Belle Reid

"Text-controlled modular synth sequencer, using Max/MSP to convert text into MIDI and CV to control a Buchla modular synthesizer, a Eurorack synth, and a MicroKORG.

2019 was an exciting, productive year with lots of new creative projects and growth. I made this little video to say thank you to the wonderful folks who support my work through Patreon, and make it possible to continue creating new music, tutorials, and videos.

Huge shoutout to the folks at Perfect Circuit Audio and Ryan Gaston for inspiring and helping with this project!

Join me on Patreon!
patreon.com/sarahbellereid

Sarah Belle Reid is a Canadian performer-composer, active in the fields of electroacoustic trumpet performance, intermedia arts, music technology, and improvisation.

www.sarahbellereid.com"

MIGSI Trumpet and Serge Modular Synthesizer Improvisation

Published on Aug 16, 2018 Sarah Belle Reid

"Controlling the Serge modular synthesizer with MIGSI (Minimally Invasive Gesture Sensing Interface) for trumpet, built by Sarah Belle Reid and Ryan Gaston. Data captured by MIGSI is sent to a computer running Max/MSP (Cycling '74), then out to the Eurorack using the Expert Sleepers ES-8, and finally into a format converter to control the Serge.

This project and many like it are supported through my Patreon community:
patreon.com/sarahbellereid

Sarah Belle Reid is a Canadian performer-composer, active in the fields of electroacoustic trumpet performance, intermedia arts, music technology, and improvisation.

www.sarahbellereid.com"

Burnt Dot Trumpet + Modular Synth at Automata (Full Set)

Published on Oct 1, 2017 Burnt Dot

"Live set from Automata, Los Angeles, Sept 2017
Sarah Belle Reid - trumpet + megaphone, Ryan Gaston - eurorack modular synth

Burnt Dot is an LA-based noise, improvisation, and experimental jazz ensemble founded by Sarah Belle Reid (trumpet + electronics) and Ryan Gaston (modular synthesizer).

www.burntdot.com"

Expressive E Touché & Eurorack Modular Synthesizer

Published on Jun 13, 2017 Ryan Gaston

"First test with the Expressive E Touché and Eurorack synthesizer. The Touché controls crossfading between pulsing/clicking sounds from the Make Noise DPO as well as the position, size, and density controls on the Mutable Instruments Clouds. And of course, a healthy helping of Pressure Points :)"

Burnt Dot Quartet: Improvised Music for Trumpets & Synthesizers Pt. 1

Published on Apr 2, 2016 Burnt Dot

"First video excerpt from Burnt Dot Quartet's February 2016 concert at the Wild Beast Pavilion, Valencia CA. A concert of improvised music for trumpets and synthesizers.

Featuring Sarah Reid and Kris Tiner on trumpets, Ryan Gaston on Euro, Frac, and Serge, and Todd Barton on Buchla, Hordijk, Euro, and waterphone. Todd performed telematically from his studio in Oregon.

Special shout out to Sahir Khan and Andrea Yasko for motion graphics and David Howe for videography.

See http://www.burntdot.com/ for more."

This one in via MATRIXSYNTH Member, Ryan Gaston.

Elektron @ CalArts

Published on Feb 22, 2016 Elektron

The Black Serge at CalArts.

"We met up with Zach Crumrine and Ryan Gaston, two students at the California Institute of the Arts (CalArts), to chat about how they use Overbridge.
For more information on Overbridge and/or CalArts:
http://www.elektron.se
http://calarts.edu"

Burnt Dot Quartet in Concert: February 17th

"Burnt Dot Quartet performs improvised music for trumpets and modular synthesizers in quadraphonic space. Featuring Sarah Reid on trumpet, Ryan Gaston on Eurorack and Serge synthesizsers, and special guests Kris Tiner on trumpet and telematic performance by Todd Barton on Buchla and other synthesizers.

The concert is taking place on February 17th at 8pm PST at:

The Wild Beast Pavilion
California Institute of the Arts
24700 McBean Parkway
Valencia, CA 91355

This concert is FREE, open to the public, and streaming at:
https://music.calarts.edu/wild-beast-webcast

Burnt Dot is an improvisational duo formed by Sarah Belle Reid (trumpet) and Ryan Gaston (modular synthesizer) in 2014. From violent gestures to undulating textures and sparse flickers, Burnt Dot uses open forms to explore and extend the unique vocabulary of each of their instruments, and aim to discover just how much of the area beyond their typical sonic territory is still unmapped. Burnt Dot specializes in free improvisation, prompt-based performance, and interpretation of graphic scores."

"Kris Tiner (b. 1977) is a California-based trumpet player, composer, and improviser. Featured on NPR Music as one of a handful of new trumpet voices impacting modern music, his playing has been described as 'extraordinarily inventive' in Signal to Noise Magazine, and the LA Weekly claims 'Trumpeter Kris Tiner can turn barbed wire to beauty.'"

"Todd Barton is a composer, sound designer, multimedia performer, analog synthesist specializing in Buchla Electronic Musical Instruments. Todd is a praised improvisor, composer, and consulting artist for Buchla Electronic Musical Instruments."

Upcoming Performances by Todd Barton Featuring the Buchla Music Easel & More

via Todd Barton:

"Hi Friends,

I'm excited to announce these upcoming concerts at the Schneider Museum of Art on the SOU campus:

Spatial Frontiers
Noon, Friday, May 22, 2015
Schneider Museum of Art

Todd Barton and Bruce Bayard, with special guest Eden Monomyn. All three artists will be playing the Buchla Music Easel, each using a special program card designed by Todd which brings focus to the incredible expressive power of this electronic instrument. Additional controls to the placement of sound in space is also featured.

This concert is free and open to the public.

AND . . .

Special Edition
Noon, Thursday, May 28, 2015
Schneider Museum of Art

Todd Barton and Bruce Bayard, are joined by special guests Sarah Belle Reid and Ryan Gaston from California Institute of the Arts.

This concert is free and open to the public.

Sarah Belle Reid is a trumpet player, intermedia artist, and improvisor who is described as having an onstage presence that is both captivating and passionate. Sarah is an endlessly curious artist, one who collaborates closely with composers, choreographers, actors, and multimedia artists, and is always eager to experiment and explore novel approaches to expression. More than a trumpeter, Sarah has been described by audiences as a true “character” and “story-teller”; a musician whose drive to innovate and re-imagine performance is at the heart of her artistic vision. Sarah holds an MFA in trumpet performance from the California Institute of the Arts.

Ryan Gaston is a composer, bandleader, and sound artist from Little Rock, Arkansas. Currently a candidate for an MFA in Experimental Sound Practices at the California Institute of the Arts, Ryan's work centers around musical interface/instrument design, modular synthesizer performance, network music, and research into techniques for sound spatialization and strategies for notation and analysis of electronic and timbre-based music. Fascinated by developing new modes of listening and performing, Gaston writes both performed and recorded music that seeks to exploit the unique possibilities of its own venue of realization--be it a concert hall, dingy dive bar, art gallery, or a pair of headphones.

all best wishes, hope to see you there,
Todd"

Exquisite Dialog

"Here is a fun experiment and dialog between Todd Barton (Buchla 200e) in Oregon and Ryan Gaston (Serge Modular Music System) at CalArts in California.

Over spring break Todd and Ryan engaged in the Surrealist parlor game known as the Exquisite Corpse en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exquisite_corpse

It began with a single minute of composed material on the Buchla of which only the final 10 seconds was sent to Ryan and his Serge. Then Ryan composed a one minute segment and sent along just the last 10 seconds. This process continued until we had a 6 minute piece. Neither of us heard the entire piece until all the segments were finished. What you here hear are all the pieces edited together in the final composition: Exquisite Dialog
Enjoy!
Be sure to check out Ryan's soundcloud:
soundcloud.com/search?q=ryan%20gaston"

Scentury Cedar Custom Luthier Wood Eurorack Cases

This one in via Ryan Gaston: "I'm contacting you today because I wanted to make you aware of a new Eurorack case luthier--a small carpentry shop in Booneville, AR (the town in which I grew up). Several months ago, I confronted them about making me a Euro case for my own use--they've been making gorgeous boutique furniture for years and I absolutely loved their visual aesthetic. So I helped them learn about modular synths, showed them where to get vector rails and threaded inserts, power supplies, etc. so that they could make me a case. They decided that it was fun and new enough that they want to continue to make and distribute these cases.

I want to stress that this is not made from wood purchased at a hardware store--these come from trees that this company has harvested purely based on each tree's unique imperfections. These trees were born and grew in Arkansas and are crafted into these gorgeous cases completely by hand and with a tremendous degree of attention to detail.

I'm not commercially affiliated with the company--they're just good friends and trusted people who are trying to branch their business in a new and interesting direction. They wanted me to check in to see about spreading the word, so I thought I'd send you an E-mail in case you're interested in sharing the information.

For any inquiries, you can contact Kim from Scentury Cedar at:
scentury@magtel.com
(479)675-5894

Or I'm glad to relay any messages that you send to me here or to strawpolygon@gmail.com."

Note this is the first Scentury Cedar post.

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